Vending-machine



3 Sh'ets-Sheet 1.

(No Modei.) M. BENEDICT.

VENDING MACHINE.

Patented Apr, 12, 1898.

Fla

HQ. I

INVENTOR: MICHAEL BENEDICT WITNESSES: Q/M QM Tu: NORRIS PETERS co..FMOTO-LITHOU wnsnmdwu, o. c

I (No ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. BENEDICT. VENDING MACHINE.

. No. 602,185. Patented Apr. 12, 1898.

INVENTOR. MIQHAEL 5mm ATTORN l i l I III) wuumm'cn. D. c.

3 SheetsSheet 3.

(N0 Mndel.)

M. BENEDICT. VENDING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 12, 1898.

'HC &

INVE'NTORI MICHAEL BEMEDIC'I;

ATTORNE I 1 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MICHAEL BENEDICT, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. A

V'IENDINGQ MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,185, dated April12, 1898.

Application filed June 14,1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL BENEDICT, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements inVending-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled'in the art towhich it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon,.whicl1 form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in coin-operated vendingmachines or apparatus in which the goods are exposed to view and aredelivered by the turning of a crank-operated mechanism when a propercoin is delivered into the machine.

The inventionhas for its object to provide a machine of thischaracterwhich is especially adapted to the sale of loose candies and which shallbe of a compact, reliable, and efficient construction.

The invention therefore consists in the novel construction ofcoin-operated vendinginachine hereinafter set forth, and also in thenovel features of construction and the several arrangements andcombinations of the parts thereof, all of which will be fully describedin the accompanying specification and finally embodied in the clauses ofthe claim.

' machine, illustrating in elevation the several parts of the operatingmechanism and the coin and goods or candy delivery chutes when lookingat the back of all of the said parts; and Fig. 4 is a similar view ofthe upper por-. tion of the machine, illustrating that portion of themechanism, in its operated position while in the act of delivering thegoods into the delivery-chute. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross.-

section taken on line 5 5 in said Fig. 4; and

Serial No. 640,629. (No model.)

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the operatinglever used in connectionwith the mechanism illustrated in'said Figs. 3, 4;, and 5. Fig. 7 is atop view, and Fig. 8 alongitudinal vertical section, of that portion ofthe mechanism for operating the goods-delivery mechanism and which iscontrolled by the passing of the proper coin into the coin-receiver.Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the coin-receiver employed, and Fig. 10is a similar view of certain portions of the coin-controlled mechanismillustrated in Figs' 7 and 8. Fig. 11 is a vertical section in detail ofa certain coinretaining device used at or near the bottom of thecoin-chute, and Fig. 12 is adetail view of one of the shaft-bearings anda holding catch or pawl used in connection with the parts illustratedmore particularly in Fig. 8.

Similar letters of reference are employed in all of the above-describedviews to indicate corresponding parts.

In said .drawings, A indicates the case or box of the machine, said casebeing'made of wood or.metal, as may be desired. In the upper portion ofthe front a is a comparatively large opening provided with a suitableframe I) and a heavy glass cover h, which permits the exposing to viewof the goods behind the same. The top wall a, which is preferably hingedto said front a, forms a suitable cover, which can be brought intolocked engagement by means of a suitable lock (SL2, with a removableplate a arranged directly upon the back Wall a of the casing. When saidplate a rests directly upon the edge a of said wall a a pair of lugs aon said plate a fit over and directly behind said edge a while a pair ofother lugs a on said plate a are brought in position directly beneathsuitably-placed posts a on the sides 01. of the casing or box A, andwhen the cover a is locked with said look a on the plate a then saidplate cannot be removed and the inner part of the box cannot be tamperedwith. One of said sides a is preferably provided with a hinged door aand a lockc, engaging with the base o of the case, to permit of theremoval of the money from Within the casing or box by the owner ofthemachine. The plate a is removably connected with the casing or box topermit of making the necessary repairs to any parts of the workingmechanism should such parts get out of order.

As will be seen from Figs. 3 and 4, I have provided the inner surfacesof the opposite sides a of the box or casing A with suitable cleats (L13and a, upon which is removably placed the goods or candy reservoir 0.The said reservoir, which is preferably made from sheet metal, when inposition on said cleats fits closely against the back or inner surfaceof the glass 12. The reservoir consists, essentially, of a cylindricalportion 0, open at the front, as at c,which is divided from thegoodsreceiving portion 0 at the back by a partition 0 preferably made ofwood, but any other suitable material may be used, as will be evi- ISaid portion a is open at the top, as 1 at 0 and at the back is a wall 0which is dent.

provided with suitably-formed supports 0 and 0 as clearly shown, bymeans of which said reservoir can be made to rest upon and f issupported in its proper position upon the said hereinabove mentionedcleats within;

the casing or box A of the machine. In the lower part of the partition cis an opening 0 to establish communication between the two chambersformed by the portions 0 and 0 through which the candies or other goodsto be dispensed with and which are placed into said portion a throughthe opening in the top thereof when the top or cover a of the box orcasing A has been opened pass into the chamber 0 in the manner clearlyin- F dicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Said chamber 0 is I provided in one side, in a suitable position nearits top, with an opening 0", and in communication with said opening is apeculiarlyformed chute or raceway D, the construction of which will bemore fully described hereinafter and which terminates at an opening a inthe wall or front a of the casing A directly above the goods-receiver gin the base (L of the machine. As indicated. in dotted outline in Fig.3, the side walls 0 of the portion c of the reservoir 0 are )(-shaped,whereby the upper and inner part of the said reservoir is made like afunnel; but its lower and inner part is suitably enlarged near saidopening 0 in the partition 0 to prevent the choking of the candies inthe bottom of said part 0?, and whereby said candies are permitted tofreely pass, by theirown gravity, through said opening 0 into the frontchamber 0, as will be clearly evident.

Rotatively arranged in suitable holes in the partition c and in the backwall a of the reservoir C is a shaft or arbor 6, having its flanged end6, on the outside of the said wall 0 firmly secured to a disk or platef, which is provided with any desirable number of radial arms f,

said plate f is permanently fixed to the end of the shaft or arbor e bysaid flange 6; but it will be understood that it maybe otherwisefastened upon the said end of the shaft e. The other end e of said shaftextends into the part c of the reservoir 0, and has secured on its saidend, by means of a set-screw e or in any other well-known manner, a hub6 provided with radially-extending arms a to each of which is suitablysecured a vane or wing 6, provided at the free end thereof with a bucket6 which is of the peculiar shape illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. The shaftor arbor c is tubular, and has arranged therein, at its flanged end 6,the post or spindle h of a suitablyconstructed arm h, and can be forcedinto operative engagement with the disk or plate f by the pointed end ofa setscrewj, which is adjustably arranged in the plate a of the casingor box A. Said arm 7b is provided with a sector-like portion 7L2, havinga grooved edge 71. Directly above the lower and weighted end 7L of thesaid arm is a pivoted dog or pawl 71. and a spring h is connectedtherewith, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4., which causes the normal andoperative engagement of a portion 7L projecting from the side of thepawl or dog h with the edge f of one of the said arms f of the disk orplate f. Thus it will be evident that when a downward pull is exerted ona chain 7:; or other suitable connection suitably secured to saidsector-like portion 71, the arm 72v will be caused to make aquarter-revolution, being brought from the position indicated in Fig. 3to that in Fig. 4. This movement of the arm h and the disk or plate fcauses the shaft 0 to turn, and the radial arms 6 on said shaft will bemoved through the loose candy in the portion 0 of the reservoir C. Inthis manner the bucket on the end of the arm e moving through the candy,will carry the candy with it until the bucket moves directly in front ofthe opening 0 in the part c of the reservoir 3, when the candy dropsfrom the open side of the bucket 6 through said opening 6 and down intoand through the chute or raceway I), which delivers the candy on thereceiver g. By this time the mechanism, to be hereinafter described,which is connected with the chain and has in this manner actuated thearm h, now automatically releases the said chain, and the Weighted armhis returned to its initial position. (Indicated in said Fig. 3.) Inthus returning to its former position the projection h on the dog orpawl h readily slips along the angular edge f of the next lower arm fonthe plate f, and when it has passed said edge then the spring 7t causesthe operative engagement of the projection h with the edge f of the nextlower arm f on the disk or plate f. When the chain 70 is againoperatedupon by the coinoperated mechanism, theshaft e and parts connectedtherewith make another quarterturn, and another certain quantity ofcandy is delivered into chute D and thence upon the receiver g.

ICC

The construction and operation of the coinoperated mechanism foractuating the arm h, and in consequence the candy-delivery mechanismhereinabove described, are as follows:

As will be seen from Figs. 1, 2, 7, and 8, I have secured over anopening in the lower part of the front a of the casing or box A anornamental plate 2', having in the top a slot 2'' to receive the coinand by means of which the mechanism can be set in operation. Said plateZ is secured over said opening in the front a by means of bolts orscrews 4?, substantially as shown in Fig. 7. Directly back of the slot Zand cast integral with the plate 71 is a coin-guide Z Secured on ascrewthreaded stud Z by means of a nut 11, as shown more particularly inFig. 8, is a bar or bracket 'm, having a suitable bearing portion m, inwhich is a tubular or socketed spindle Z, having the perforated end Zand provided with a slot Z cut into part of the cylindrical surface ofsaid spindle, as clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 10. spindle Z haslongitudinally-arranged slots, into which is fitted the forked end 01 ofa shaft n, provided with a cam-shaped wheel 71?,

which is in alinement with the sector portion I h of the arm h and isconnected by means of its mechanism connected therewith when the shaft nis turned. A bearing 17. and a collar Z, held in position on the spindleZ by a setscrew Z ,retain said spindle Z and shaft n in.

their rotative and operative positions. Rotatively arranged on saidspindle Z is a second tubular spindle 0, which is held in its operativeposition on the spindle Z by the bearing m in the bracket "m, apin Zworking against a shoulder o of said spindle o, and an annularenlargement Z on the forward end of the spindle Z, all of which isclearly evident from an inspection of Fig. 8. Said spindle 0 is providedwith a gear 0 operated from a pinion p on a shaft p, adapted to beturned by the crank p The'rear end of said shaftp rests in a perforatedpost 1", forming a hearing, which is connected with a spring-plate '1",securely fastened to the bracket m. The purpose of the spring-plate r isto allow the inoperative engagement of the pinion p and gear 0 whenturning the crank 19 at such time when the other parts of the mechanismhave been rendered inoperative through care-' By,

lessnessor any other unforeseen cause; this arrangement the danger ofbreaking any parts of the mechanism during the turning of the crank isentirely overcome.

When the pinion p and gear 0 are in operative mesh and the crank p isturned, the result will be that-the spindle 0 will turn on thespindle Zwithout operatingthe shaft-n. To cause the operation of said shaft 42, acoin is necessary. 'When a coin is passed through the slot Z, it passesdown the inclined guides or bars Z and Z of. the guide Z (see Figs. 7and 9,) reaching a second guide .9, provided The opposite end of saidwith perforated lugs s, by means ofwhich it is secured on the back ofplate 2'. I Said guide 5 has a channeled part 3 which causes the coincoming from the guide i -to reverse its direction and to be depositedinto either one of the slots 0 nearthe free end of the spindle 0. FromFig. 2 it will be seen that when a coin passes from said guide 8 downbetween the longitudinal edges of one of said slots 0 'it will be heldtherein with the circumferential edge of the coin resting against theedge of a connecting portion 0 between two of said slots 0 in saidspindle 0. As soon as the spindle is turned by the crank 19 said edge 0is forcibly brought against the edge of the coin and pushes the coinalong the cylindrical surface of the spindle Z until it drops into theslot Z in said'spindle. The coin now extends partly into the slot Z inthe spindle Z and the slot 0 in the spindleo, whereby said coin op- 1eratively connects both said spindles, and the spindle Z now turns inconnection with the spindle 0. Thus the coin establishes an operativeconnection between said spindles 0 and Z, and by causing the spindle Zto turn, the shaft 01 and hence the arm h andits connecting mechanismare all actuated in the manner hereinabove described. As soon as the twocoin-holding slots in the spindles Zando are in a position opposite themouth of a chute Z (see Fig. 3) the coin is forced into said chute andpasses down upon apair of pins u on a spring-actuated plate u, said pinspassing through suitable holes in the end of the chute Z to expose thecoin to view behind a glass window 1; in the front of the casing A, asclearlyindicated in the several figures of the drawings. J ustpreviousto the passing of the coin into the chute Z the candy has been deliveredinto the chute or raceway D,

and the coin now passing into the chute Z the weight-arm h causes thereturn of the several parts of the mechanism to their initial positionsready for operation when a second coin is dropped into the slot Z. i

As has been statedand as will be more especially seen from Fig. 11, thecoin'is retained on a pair of pins it, directly behind the glass window1;, until a second coin is deposited and the mechanism in this manneragain set in operation. 2,3, and 11, the wheel 11 on the shaft n isprovided with a pair of springdike clampingarms n between which is adjustably secured a flexible connection w, which passes overa As will benoticed from Figs.-

next pass onto an inclined plate (Z ,from which they pass through theopening in the front a and upon the receiver 9. The chute D may havethat portion of the chute indicated by theletter d removably arrangedbetween the parts (Z and d of the chute, said part 61 being secured inposition in a slightly-grooved part of the side of the casing A and heldby the action of a suitable spring d, which is holding reservoir,comprising a pair of chamfastened to the part d of the chute D.

To prevent any backward movement of the I mechanism illustrated in Figs.7 and 8, the.

crank-shaft 1) may be provided with a camplate 29 having a holding-tooth19 with which a dog x, which is pivotally attached to the bracket 'm,can be made to engage in the usual manner and as will be clearly evidentfrom an inspection of Fig. 12.

Of course it will be evidentthat many 1 changes may be made in theseveral arrangei ments and combinations of the parts of the machine andin the details of construction thereof Without departing from the scopeof my present invention. Hence I do not limit myself to the exactarrangements and com-l binations of the parts and the details of con- Istruction thereof as described in the accompanying specification andillustrated in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In avending-machine, a candy or goods holding reservoir, a tubular shaft, anarm or arms on said shaft, and a bucket or buckets on said arm or arms,a delivery-chute connected with said reservoir, and a coin-controlledmechanism for intermitently operating said shaft and bringing one ofsaid buckets past the mouth of the chute, consisting, essentially, of adisk or plate on said shaft and means connected with said shaft forcausing a step-by-step movement of said disk or plate and said shaft,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a vending-machine, a candy or goods holding reservoir, a tubularshaft, an arm or arms on said shaft, and a bucket or buckets on said armor arms, a chute connected with said reservoir, and mechanism foroperating said shaft and bringing one of said buckets past the mouth ofthe chute, consisting, essentially, of a disk or plate f on said shaft,arms f on said plate, aspindle h in said shaft, a weighted arm h on saidspindle,and a springactuated pawl or dog on said arm h adapted to engagewith an arm on said plate f and opcrate the same, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

3. In a vending-machine, a casing O, having a glass front, a pair ofchambers divided by a partition having an opening, for establishingcommunication between said chambers, a tubular shaft extending throughboth chambers, an arm or arms on said shaft, and a bucket or buckets onsaid arm or arms, exposed to view through said glass front, adelivery-chute connected with said reservoir, and a coin-controlledmechanism for operating said shaft, and bringing one of said bucketspast the mouth of the chute, consisting, essentially, of adisk or plateon said shaft and means connected with said shaft for causing astep-by-step movement of said disk or plate and said shaft,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4:. Ina vending-machine, a candy or goods bers divided by a partitionhaving an opening, for establishing communication between said chambers,a tubular shaft extending through said chambers,an arm or arms on saidshaft, and a bucket or buckets on said arm or arms, a chute connectedwith said reservoir, and mechanism for operating said shaft and bringingone of the buckets past the mouth of the chute, consisting, essentially,of a disk or plate f on said shaft, arms f on said plate, a spindle h insaid shaft,a weighted arm h on said spindle, and a spring-actuated dogor pawl on said arm h adapted to engage with an arm on said plate f andoperate the same, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a vending-machine, a candy or goods holding reservoir, comprisinga pair of chambers divided by a partition having an openin g, forestablishing communication between said chambers, a tubular shaftextending through said chambers, an arm or arms on said shaft, and abucket or buckets on said arm or arms, a chute connected with saidreservoir, and mechanism for operating said shaft and bringing one ofthe buckets past the mouth of the chute, consisting, essentially, of adisk or plate on said shaft and means connected with said shaft forcausing a stepby-step movement of said disk or plate and said shaft, andmechanism adapted to be actuated by the action of a coin and cooperatingwith said means for causing the movement of said disk or plate,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a vending-machine, a candy or goods holding reservoir, comprisinga pair of chambers divided by a partition having an opening, forestablishing communication between said chambers, a tubular shaftextending through said chambers, an arm or arms on said shaft, and abucket or buckets on said arm or arms, a chute connected with saidreservoir, mechanism for operating said shaft and bringing one of thebuckets past the mouth of the chute, consisting, essentially,

of adisk or plate on said shaft and means connected with said shaft forcausing a stepby-step movement of said disk or plate and said shaft, andmechanism, oomprisinga pair of spindles Z and 0 having coin-receivingslots, a shaft 4% and a flexible connection cooperating with said meansfor the movement of said disk or plate, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

7. In a vending-machine, a candy or goods holding reservoir, a tubularshaft, an arm or arms on said shaft, and a bucket or buckets on said armor arms, a chute connected with said reservoir, and mechanism foroperating said shaft and bringing one of said buckets past the mouth ofthe chute, consisting, essentially, of a disk or plate f on said shaft,arms f on said plate, a spindle h on said shaft, a weighted arm h onsaid spindle, a spring-actuated pawl or dog on said arm h adapted toengage with an arm on said plate f and operate the same, and mechanismadapted to be actuated by the action of a coin and cooperating With saidarm h to cause the movement of the latter, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

8. In a vending-machine, a candy or goods holding reservoir, a tubularshaft, an arm or arms on said shaft, and abucket or buckets on said armor arms, a chute connected with said reservoir, and mechanism foroperating said shaft and bringing one of said buckets past the mouth ofthe chute, consisting, essentially, of a disk or plate f on saidshaft,

and a spring-actuated plate a having prongs extending into and throughperforations in said chute, all in combination, with a shaft n, a wheelon said shaft, a pair of spring-like clamping-arms n on said wheel, anda fleXi ble connection betweensaid arms a and said plate 10,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

'10. In a vending-machine, the combination, with the bracket m having abearing, and the operating mechanism carried thereby, of a shaft 10, anda spring-plate 1' and bearingpost 1" for the one end of saidshaftp,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 9th day of June, 1897.

MICHAEL BENEDICT.

Witnesses:

FREDK. O. FRAENTZEL, H. CAMFIELD, J r.

